[Johnny B]

Have any of you guys had issues with window cleaners on the same area’s and how did you deal with it?

I have had a couple of Neanderthals try to tell me that I'm on their 'patch'.  I just tell them that as long as their customers are happy with them, they've got nothing to worry about.

John

And how did they respond to this

They weren't best pleased but it's my choice where to work, (as is the competition's) and the customers' choice whose services they use.

John

[dazmond]

Canvassing is great it's  money for life and apart from your time it's free.

25 new customers canvassed in a month which is really easy to do at say even a tenner is £3000 turn over a year.

Long time Ian. How’s things? You still window cleaning?

Hi mate .... not anymore ... sold it all off and went back to motor trade as was bored basically... however I will be back at some point !!

Just like to lurk and post very occasionally 

I remember you Ian......you still cant beat flexible part time hours for full time money even if it's only window cleaning IMO.....

[James Styles]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

[AuRavelling79]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

Good man! Bet you feel great about that.

[James Styles]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

Good man! Bet you feel great about that.

Yes mate I feel well chuffed, it’s certainly helping my confidence 

[Stoots]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

[James Styles]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

Not sure what you mean, if I do a good job why would I lose them?

[Smudger]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

thats very optimistic of you!!!

my fall out rate for canvassed work has been no more than 2 in 100 customers ( that I canvassed )
when we used a canvasser it was slightly higher at around 3 in 50

do a good job - turn up regularly and they will stick

Darran

[Shrek]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

Not sure what you mean, if I do a good job why would I lose them?

You will always ALWAYS get ‘messers’ - these are people who can’t be arsed paying you until you’ve sent them 10 messages every month asking for payment, you will always get customers who are desperate for their windows to be cleaned regularly then sack you off. Not many but these people exist and the main thing is to just move on , don’t dwell on the fact you’ve done a good job and you can’t understand why they aren’t paying you or they’ve sacked you off. Just move on 

[James Styles]

had some people asking for quotes but saying they have a window cleaner when canvassing... they are not happy with him, say he does a poor job and isn’t too reliable... not sure I really want these type of customers or nicking work but maybe should take them for now until I get bigger? Not sure... that’s even if I get the call.

[Smudger]

Generally people who have a window cleaner and are asking for a quote are just looking for cheaper - sometimes not, but no harm giving a price - just don't price low on purpose - its always interesting to see their reactions,  I had the odd genuine one that has said I was more expensive but still used us because we did a better job and had a regular schedule

remember also if the windows are minging - charge double for the first clean - that also kills off most messers

Darran

[Smudger]

just to add - people will rarely tell you the truth so take nothing to heart...

example...

regular customer for the last 4 years, each year had a gutter clear and s/f/g wash on top of reg windows...
custy rings up,
Him: I'm cancelling the service !
Us: Sorry to here that sir - any problems ?
Him: Yes - the last 2 cleans have been substandard
Us: Sorry to hear that, what's the problem
Him: streaks all over the windows
Us: Thats unusual - you were only cleaned 2 days ago I'll pop round and have a look - if they are bad we'll re-clean for free
Him: (silence for 15 seconds) ummm, err, no its ok actually someone knocked the door and is going to do it cheaper
Us: no problem sir, you know our number if you have any problems

This customer was quite happy to say we did a sh!t clean than be man enough to admit he's a tight f**ker - we could have quite clearly been left thinking we had done a bad job
Darran

[Stoots]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

Not sure what you mean, if I do a good job why would I lose them?

have you much experience of canvassed work?

ive probably had 500 or more customers gained this way, probably more ...and from my experience maybe 30%  will go on to be good customers.

Some will want a one off
some will never pay you
some will do a few cleans then drop off
some will change their mind before the first clean
some will just ignore you and hope you go away


Ive always said canvassing produces the most compact work over time, however it produces the biggest amount of messers for the simple fact you are putting them on the spot on the door. Lots say yes just to get rid of you then have second thoughts, some just cant say no etc.

Methods of advertising where they come to you of their own free will (i.e leaflets. online ads) will always produce a better quality of customer than where you go to them putting them on the spot.

[Stoots]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

thats very optimistic of you!!!

my fall out rate for canvassed work has been no more than 2 in 100 customers ( that I canvassed )
when we used a canvasser it was slightly higher at around 3 in 50

do a good job - turn up regularly and they will stick

Darran

sorry mate but that just not how it is

Ive used 5 different canvassing companies including doing it myself and the drop off rate over 6 months is usually around 50% 

of course if i had used just one company i could blame them but had enough experience from different sources to know its canvassing in general not the canvasser.

Most of it is nothing to do with doing a good job either, a lot will cancel before the first clean or just not pay you for it.

In contrast to that when i run online ads the drop off rate is very low, maybe 10% after 6 months.

[robbo333]

James

Sounds like you are doing well with the canvassing, nice one!

The more you do, the more you will learn and you will become quicker and more confident. You'll get to a stage where anyone who gives you grief, you'll just reply politely and walk away; It won't even worry you.

My only advice is, when you clean a customer's house and it's filthy, make sure you charge extra (for the extra time involved).

Then if the customer is genuine and uses you again, you are on a winner, but if the customer cancels the next clean, then at least you have covered the cost of the first clean. If a customer doesn't want to pay extra for a first clean then I would be wary and would walk away, rather than clean it.

Good luck...welcome to silly season! 

[Smudger]

Picked up 9 customers today in just 4 hours canvassing 

great, just wait till you lose half of them over the next couple of cleans.

Canvassing is the fastest way to build work but its the fastest way to lose work also.

thats very optimistic of you!!!

my fall out rate for canvassed work has been no more than 2 in 100 customers ( that I canvassed )
when we used a canvasser it was slightly higher at around 3 in 50

do a good job - turn up regularly and they will stick

Darran

sorry mate but that just not how it is

Ive used 5 different canvassing companies including doing it myself and the drop off rate over 6 months is usually around 50% 

of course if i had used just one company i could blame them but had enough experience from different sources to know its canvassing in general not the canvasser.

Most of it is nothing to do with doing a good job either, a lot will cancel before the first clean or just not pay you for it.

In contrast to that when i run online ads the drop off rate is very low, maybe 10% after 6 months.

Just goes to show that different areas produce different results - my experience was as stated very, very few drop outs over nearly 3 years of canvassing but we get very few that drop out overall - our domestic customer base is around 1400 properties and we may lose around 20 a year - some move, some have past away and a few just cancel
Darran

[Mick Kent]

I actually think facebook groups are the best way to get work.
I used to swear by canvassing but a cleaver worded advert in a group with over 10k members in gets so much interest, i built a full round in a week by using just 2 groups with an add where i said ill be giving the first £3 to a charity of all first clean(which i did to the retired Greyhound trust).
As i did a few of the first cleans they commented on how a great job and how friendly i was then boom...like an avalanche customers snow you under with not enough hours in a day/week to get them all done.
Only prob is they will be spread out and not compact which is where canvassing comes in to fill the gaps,
 

[nathankaye]

I actually think facebook groups are the best way to get work.
I used to swear by canvassing but a cleaver worded advert in a group with over 10k members in gets so much interest, i built a full round in a week by using just 2 groups with an add where i said ill be giving the first £3 to a charity of all first clean(which i did to the retired Greyhound trust).
As i did a few of the first cleans they commented on how a great job and how friendly i was then boom...like an avalanche customers snow you under with not enough hours in a day/week to get them all done.
Only prob is they will be spread out and not compact which is where canvassing comes in to fill the gaps,

Nice touch with the charity hook!

I use Facebook to target new areas where I want to expand into.  Once I have a foot in, by way of one or two customers etc, then I canvass several houses either side of property which I'm cleaning and then it's down to word of mouth etc.

[Stoots]

I actually think facebook groups are the best way to get work.
I used to swear by canvassing but a cleaver worded advert in a group with over 10k members in gets so much interest, i built a full round in a week by using just 2 groups with an add where i said ill be giving the first £3 to a charity of all first clean(which i did to the retired Greyhound trust).
As i did a few of the first cleans they commented on how a great job and how friendly i was then boom...like an avalanche customers snow you under with not enough hours in a day/week to get them all done.
Only prob is they will be spread out and not compact which is where canvassing comes in to fill the gaps,

Absolutely bang for buck Facebook produces by far the best return.

Only downside is...and where canvassing excels is as you say getting compact work.

[SB Cleaning]

I actually think facebook groups are the best way to get work.
I used to swear by canvassing but a cleaver worded advert in a group with over 10k members in gets so much interest, i built a full round in a week by using just 2 groups with an add where i said ill be giving the first £3 to a charity of all first clean(which i did to the retired Greyhound trust).
As i did a few of the first cleans they commented on how a great job and how friendly i was then boom...like an avalanche customers snow you under with not enough hours in a day/week to get them all done.
Only prob is they will be spread out and not compact which is where canvassing comes in to fill the gaps,

Absolutely bang for buck Facebook produces by far the best return.

Only downside is...and where canvassing excels is as you say getting compact work.

personally I find Facebook rubbish..one off wonders most of them